LOGINIan raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t drunk last night. I was completely sober.“Sweetheart, I knew exactly what I was doing. I have been aware of my feelings for you for a long time. I just kept holding them back. But last night, when you hired those male escorts and leaned into that man’s arms, I could
Mia’s expression hardened. “Ian, what kind of thing is that to say? Who I date is none of your business.”“Fine.” Ian gave a short, cold laugh. “None of my business.”His face remained dark as he walked out. From that day on, he never returned to the Quinton estate.Mia did not see him for more than
Mia’s relationship with Ian had changed completely. Somewhere along the way, she had become the one doing the bullying.If she was upset, she would pinch or swat him without hesitation, and Ian would only grin and call her “Little Princess” or “Miss Trouble,” never once fighting back.Later, Mia was
By the time Ian was eighteen and in his senior year, his life was too busy with schoolwork to waste time picking on his stepsister. It had been a long time since he had teased Mia.The high school and middle school buildings were close to each other. That afternoon, he and a few classmates walked to
Lester was often away from home.In the beginning, whenever Mia was bullied by Ian, she would run to her mother, Sharon, in tears. But as a stepmother, Sharon felt she had no authority to discipline Ian. For the sake of keeping the household peaceful, she chose to turn a blind eye and never told Le
The first time Mia met Ian, she was only nine years old.Her mother, Sharon, held her hand and smiled brightly. “Say hello to your new brother.”The little girl tilted her head up at the tall boy in front of her, pressed her lips together, and obediently said, “Hi, brother.”The boy didn’t look the
Charlotte’s heart finally began to settle, and the flush on her face slowly faded. She cleared her throat twice in a very tactical, deliberate way, then tried to act calm.“So… I’m a little hungry. Want to order some breakfast?”Sean’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “What happened to testing whether
Zac no longer looked like the carefree playboy he used to be. Gone were the days of aimless partying and reckless spending. Now, he had the demeanor of a true business executive—serious, focused, and responsible. His connection with Ethan had grown distant, too.On the other end of the line, Ethan
Charlotte sighed in mock defeat and reached up to ruffle his hair, like she was soothing a moody child. Her tone was warm and teasing. “Alright, alright. But planning and shopping’s only fun if we do it together. Besides, it’s Saturday. Don’t you give your assistant weekends off?”Sean mumbled a v
“I want a photo too, Sean!” Vivian called out, forcing her voice into a sugary tone as she walked over and wedged herself between Charlotte and Sean.“Whoa!” Mia suddenly yelped.Ian turned around in concern.“Mia, what happened?”Mia put on a dramatic face.“Massive photobomb alert. I think I just







